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The good things we no longer see in airplanes

Airplane travel has changed a lot, and it is not just on the security front where now there are elaborate procedures and restrictions.

The entertainment and comfort area in air travel has undergone great changes. The Airline Deregulation act of 1978 and the need to be cost effective has seen a gradual dwindling of amenities provided in passenger aircraft.

The flight attendants of yore who were in hot pants are missing from modern airplanes as well as the fashion shows that were included in the in-flight entertainment schedules.

Well, not really fashion shows, but changing of uniforms by flight attendants for the various parts of the journey. Attendants would wear up to three different outfits for a single flight in an effort to reduce the boredom of fliers seeing them in a single outfit for hours on end.

Some airlines too had fresh-cut flowers arranged in their planes to add to the decor which is no longer seen since the late 1970s.

Gaming and drinking have also suffered in the process of ensuring profitability of planes. There were in-flight games such as pong that were available but this is no longer the case.

The wet-bars that would serve tot after tot of whiskey and other strong drinks are now only a reserve for first-class, in some airlines and even then the amount you can drink may be limited. Champagne that used to flow in first class was also thrown out of the window.

Well, a window at the end of each row is another luxury that is no longer found in airplanes. Today, airlines are squeezing more rows into planes as they seek to maximize their profits. The promise of a window seat does not mean a full window to yourself as it did in some years back.